Niantic announces huge Ingress update for 2018

Like Angry Birds, Pokémon Go is one of those mobile games that just about everyone and their mother has played at one point or another. Being able to go out and capture virtual Pokémon in the real world is something that struck a chord with millions upon millions of players, but in 2018, developer Niantic will be taking some time to focus on its first AR game – Ingress.

Ingress was released all the way back in 2012 when Niantic was operating under Google's leadership as a subsidiary, and while Pokémon Go would later go on to adopt many of the same game mechanics that it introduced, Ingress's darker sci-fi theme of tapping into futuristic technology to possibly contact aliens is very different from the bright and colorful world of its successor.

Ingress in its current version (left) and Ingress Prime (right)

This overhaul is called "Ingress Prime", and it'll be released as an update to the existing Ingress game when it's ready for primetime. The game will still play mostly the same as the current version, but it'll come with upgraded visuals and new angle of storytelling that should offer enough for even long-time players to find something new to sink their teeth into.

Ingress Prime will tap into Google's ARCore and Apple's ARKit to allow for the best augmented-reality experience possible, and the update will also be joined by a new anime series that'll help to flesh out the game's world for fans that want even more.

It's unclear when Ingress Prime will be released next year, but with the team at Niantic also working on Harry Potter: Wizards Unite that's slated for a 2018 release as well, expect to brush up on your waiting skills.